1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image printing system and a partitioned printing method therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image printing system for controlling the print queue sequence according to the print speed selection with respect to a print object file, and a partitioned printing method therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image printing system includes a computer and a printer connected to the computer by a communications interface. The printer translates a print object manuscript file transformed into a print language and transmitted from the computer, and prints an image corresponding to the translated result on one or more supplied paper sheets.
The printer provides status information to a connected computer, as to whether a printing operation is possible or not. Typical status information includes a busy signal indicating that a data storage buffer is full of received data, a paper empty signal indicating that the main paper supply source is empty, an error signal indicating that a paper sheet is jammed during printing or that a printing operation can no longer be performed due to another critical problem. When printers are connected to a plurality of computers by a network, the printer generally provides information such as the file name, received time and size of queued print data stored in the buffer to a user computer requesting the information. Accordingly, the user can view a queued list obtained by communication with the printer, through a display device of the computer.
A conventional printer determines the print operation sequence using a first-in first-out method and performs printing by file according to the determined operation sequence. In the first-in first-out printing processing method of a printer, the printing sequence cannot be changed for a print data file transmitted from a user who wishes to perform an urgent printing operation. Thus, it is inconvenient for the user to use the printer.
There is a method for deleting all previously-received print data files corresponding to an impediment from the printer, in order to print a print data file which is required to be urgently printed. However, the print data files deleted from the printer cannot be restored, so users who sent the deleted print data files must again instruct the computer to transmit the desired files to the printer.
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an image printing system for controlling a print sequence with respect to a print data file received in accordance with a user""s request, and a partitioned printing method therein.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, an image printing system is provided which includes a printer driver installed in a computer and printer controller installed in a printer corresponding to the computer. The printer driver, which is installed in the computer, provides a print option menu on a screen of a display device to allow a user to select either whole printing or partitioned printing on a print object manuscript file to be printed, and outputs the selected result information to the printer together with a print data file transformed into a printer language with respect to the manuscript file. The printer controller, which is installed in the printer, reads data transmitted from the computer via a communications interface and determines a print sequence by a printer engine so that the total pages of a print data file selected to be printed by partitioned printing are divided and printed in segments at intervals of a set period in units of a determined number of pages.
Preferably, the printer controller determines the print sequence by the printer engine to print a print data file selected to be printed by whole printing, during the period.
Also, to achieve the above objective, a partitioned printing method, for use in an image printing system including a computer and a printer connected to the computer by a communications interface, is provided. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) requesting a selecting of either whole printing or partitioned printing on a print object manuscript file on a print option selection menu screen using an input device of the computer when a request for printing is selected through the input device of the computer;
(b) Transmit information on the selected print option to the printer, together with a print data file obtained by transforming the manuscript file into a printer language; and
(c) reading the print option information transmitted together with the print data file, and printing a print data file so that the total pages of a received print data file selected to be printed by partitioned printing are divided and printed in segments at intervals of a predetermined period in units of a predetermined number of pages.
It is preferable that in the printing step, a received print data file selected to be printed by whole printing is printed during the period.